VN Ren'Py Friends in Need [Ch.10 v0.71] [NeonGhosts]

[NeonGhosts]

I'll pass. Waitin on the Friends In Need drop.

I already posted it, and it's on my SubStar available to the public. But for this update, it functionally doesn't really matter.

Mind anyone explain that to me? Did I miss something? What's the point of this masquerade?

Masquerade implies a level of subterfuge that I don't think is accurate. I'm trying to be very above-board with all this stuff.

I outlined this previously, but to recap: Patreon has content guidelines that Friends in Need would fall outside of. I think this is known to most people. In addition, Patreon reserves the right to ban or suspend a creator for linking their Patreon-supported work with platforms that are outside their content guidelines. That can mean everything from making a taboo content patch available for the game, to talking about forbidden content on a Patreon-linked Discord.

So, I produce Friends Indeed for Patreon, which has a different title (so, no direct association with prohibited content produced for SubStar), no game builds on my Discord (hence, no Patreon access to SubStar files), fully edited script/image files for Friends Indeed removing any taboo content (so taboo content can't be restored with the FiN patch), and even edited content to soften the actions of the villains, so some scenes play out slightly differently from FiN to FI. Basically, I try to treat the two like separate games, and keep anything iffy from linking to and from Patreon. I don't even allow discussion of 'dark content' from FiN on my Discord, except in the channel that's only available to SubStar subs.

As there's discussion here relating to taboo content in Friends in Need, it's also just best practices if this thread doesn't link to Patreon.

I know this is all kind of annoying, but it's how it needs to be. Now, all that said, Patreon recently tightened their content guidelines even more, which has me wondering whether or not I can even host Friends Indeed there, without significant changes to Lucien's storyline. Which has me looking at other ways I can use the Patreon.

 

[NeonGhosts]

I'm surprised that the loan shark or the police haven't caught Brent by now. That guy is dumber then a bag of hammers and he is driving a conspicuous car. Really interested to know where he hid all this time.

Also, it was nice to see how he thinks and ... oh boy, that guy is delusional as hell. Liked the part where he was thinking that he has a girlfriend only for the reveal to be that he's making the whole thing up and the girl couldn't care less about him. .

Unless Guy intervenes on his behalf, I'm not seeing a good end for him. And even then, I'm sure he won't be thankful for the assist.

Well, he's only been back in the city for a little over a week. It's a pretty large, metropolitan city, so there's a lot of places for him to hide.

It was honestly really fun to write that kind of third-person narration where it's clearly being colored by Brent's own biases. Like when he talks about Nicki getting into trouble when he's not around. *chef's kiss* Love that stuff.

Before I play the special that was released later. Is it just a April fool special for fun or is it a early release of a part of the update, just asking cause when I loaded it up and started a new game I notice it was the same Ch 1 and I rather wait till the full release if it isn't just a fun April Fools update.

The special is only an April Fool's joke, in that it takes place from the viewpoint of a character who's not MC. All the events are canon, and they add a little extra context to some story events. It's basically like Ashe or Viola's short story, but actually made into part of the game. It's basically me experimenting with how I might to mini-updates, in between larger updates.

So, it's a prank because I'm playing with expectations a bit, but it's not like.. "Ohhh, MC's a dinosaur now and we're in space! Whoaaaa!"

But, it'll be available when Chapter 9 drops too, so you can just check it out later, if you want! I think people know I just love holidays and special events, so I like doing stuff like this.

 

[robrize2169]

any word on the release date for ch. 9? NeonGhosts

 

[Impurity2937]

I outlined this previously, but to recap: Patreon has content guidelines that Friends in Need would fall outside of. I think this is known to most people. In addition, Patreon reserves the right to ban or suspend a creator for linking their Patreon-supported work with platforms that are outside their content guidelines. That can mean everything from making a taboo content patch available for the game, to talking about forbidden content on a Patreon-linked Discord.

So, I produce Friends Indeed for Patreon, which has a different title (so, no direct association with prohibited content produced for SubStar), no game builds on my Discord (hence, no Patreon access to SubStar files), fully edited script/image files for Friends Indeed removing any taboo content (so taboo content can't be restored with the FiN patch), and even edited content to soften the actions of the villains, so some scenes play out slightly differently from FiN to FI. Basically, I try to treat the two like separate games, and keep anything iffy from linking to and from Patreon. I don't even allow discussion of 'dark content' from FiN on my Discord, except in the channel that's only available to SubStar subs.

As there's discussion here relating to taboo content in Friends in Need, it's also just best practices if this thread doesn't link to Patreon.

I know this is all kind of annoying, but it's how it needs to be. Now, all that said, Patreon recently tightened their content guidelines even more, which has me wondering whether or not I can even host Friends Indeed there, without significant changes to Lucien's storyline. Which has me looking at other ways I can use the Patreon.

Wow, I had no idea Patreon is so strict and such a pain in the ass that they even monitor redirected page access...

Thank you for a very elaborate explanation, I heard something about Patreon's stricter rules but I was not aware of the details. This whole "changing stuff" thing must take a hell of a time which at the end is a time wasted but that's great that you managed to handle it somehow.

Although I'm not sure I understand why you do not want people to link your Patreon here when there is direct link to it in thread's first post and in your profile signature as well.

 

[robrize2169]

just finished playing the special from the link on substar..and..damn, that's what i want to see. more content like this, but in the game. sides of some of the characters that are enemies of the mc and Nicki. spoiler incoming.
i loved seeing the consequences of Brent's actions fucking his life up completely. he is such a delusional fuck. loved seeing him get cucked by his coworker and his imaginary gf. best scene by far is when he is dreaming at the beginning and mc has Nicki sucking him off and calls him a cuck..made me laugh out loud..

 

[fleetp]

Dumb question: Do I play the special from the beginning (as in start a new game) or from where I ended with

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[NeonGhosts]

Dumb question: Do I play the special from the beginning (as in start a new game) or from where I ended with

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Play from the ending of Chapter 8.

 

[fleetp]

Play from the ending of Chapter 8.

Thank you.

 

[NeonGhosts]

Wow, I had no idea Patreon is so strict and such a pain in the ass that they even monitor redirected page access...

Thank you for a very elaborate explanation, I heard something about Patreon's stricter rules but I was not aware of the details. This whole "changing stuff" thing must take a hell of a time which at the end is a time wasted but that's great that you managed to handle it somehow.

Although I'm not sure I understand why you do not want people to link your Patreon here when there is direct link to it in thread's first post and in your profile signature as well.

Yeahhh. I don't want to bellyache too much. Patreon's been very good to me, and it's their platform. So, it's up to me to use it in a way that works for all parties involved. In the meantime, I just try to make sure people know that, if they want the taboo stuff, they really need to support me over on SubStar.

As for the link in the first post -- I don't control any of that stuff. I'll suggest tags be added, but that's about it. So, I remain as hands-off with it as possible. As for my signature line, you may be right, but I kind of see the sig as a neutral zone, since it's not like the sig itself is discussing any verboten material.

just finished playing the special from the link on substar..and..damn, that's what i want to see. more content like this, but in the game. sides of some of the characters that are enemies of the mc and Nicki. spoiler incoming.

I'm glad people seem to have largely enjoyed this little diversion. The whole thing took about three days to make, from writing, to rendering, to inserting the code. Three long days, but still.. So, I'd like to experiment with this format to show a lot of corners of the game that Guy/MC wasn't there for. Or things he would be there for, that don't really require us to see his whole day. Like, a simple date with one of the girls you're actively dating, or Guy meeting with someone who's requested his organization's help, but doesn't really fit into the main game.

 

[Varrock]

Man i gotta say, i really appreciate the amount of attention you put into detail and continuity. I've used URM to see everything and there's so many small dialogue changes and even character facial expressions that'll change based off how evil you decide to be and it's not even as simple as good/bad, sometimes it'll be somewhere in the middle like neutral ground. You put effort into the game and I see it, and the only other game I've known that actually has a decent amount of content and this amount of detail in continuity is BaDIK, will definitely support.

 

[Dessolos]

Man i gotta say, i really appreciate the amount of attention you put into detail and continuity. I've used URM to see everything and there's so many small dialogue changes and even character facial expressions that'll change based off how evil you decide to be and it's not even as simple as good/bad, sometimes it'll be somewhere in the middle like neutral ground. You put effort into the game and I see it, and the only other game I've known that actually has a decent amount of content and this amount of detail in continuity is BaDIK, will definitely support.

yeah neon is one of the best at doing facial expressions imo. I normally would never play the dark path but I checked it out once an update and only read the dialogue for context and skip past the lewds and well the facial expression on Ashe if depending on your choices, makes me wonder if there is a possiblity for a redemption arc.

Hell the look Risa gave us in the car normally id write a LI like her off but something about her facial expression made me feel for her to the point, I actually want to play her path and she is in my top 3 right now until more updates with others happen.

 

[MagicMan753]

So, will there be another way onto Risa's path? Or going down and getting the footjob the only way to start her path and if we don't we will be jist friends. I like her, but I rather not turn down either Nicki or Ashe options, so I am hoping for a alternate way onto her path, maybe in the next update.

 

[Dessolos]

So, will there be another way onto Risa's path? Or going down and getting the footjob the only way to start her path and if we don't we will be jist friends. I like her, but I rather not turn down either Nicki or Ashe options, so I am hoping for a alternate way onto her path, maybe in the next update.

probably not till next update i imagine, too early to say tbh

 

[Ragnar]

The side character pov is a very good addition from a cinematic point of view. Some self insert type of player may can hate it but it adds variety to the game. It can be interesting to see things from other characters pov now and then, not too much just some panels showing us what others are doing and the such

 

[vanss]

I wanna try all the paths in this game, but I'm unable to "force" Ashe in the alley scene.

How to I force her in the alley?

Right now, when I "kiss her" and she refuses it, there is no option to "force", there's only the option to "stop and apologize".

What do I have to do to get the "force" option?

 

[PHIL101-YYouPPHard]

I wanna try all the paths in this game, but I'm unable to "force" Ashe in the alley scene.

How to I force her in the alley?

Right now, when I "kiss her" and she refuses it, there is no option to "force", there's only the option to "stop and apologize".

What do I have to do to get the "force" option?

Make sure you have the normal version game 'Friends in Need' and not the vanilla version 'Friends Indeed'. Then install the patch. All the necessary files are on the front page of this game thread. Will have to start a fresh game too to make sure the scripts work properly. Should work after that.

If you already have all that taken care of, then only other thing I can think of is the darker options might require a darker Guy, so maybe you haven't been mean enough to Ashe specifically (ashe dark points obtained from the bar interaction) or mean enough in general (MC dark points from doing dark things to anyone)? But I can't remember sorry.

 

[Mesmerizet]

just finished playing the special from the link on substar..and..damn, that's what i want to see. more content like this, but in the game. sides of some of the characters that are enemies of the mc and Nicki. spoiler incoming.
i loved seeing the consequences of Brent's actions fucking his life up completely. he is such a delusional fuck. loved seeing him get cucked by his coworker and his imaginary gf. best scene by far is when he is dreaming at the beginning and mc has Nicki sucking him off and calls him a cuck..made me laugh out loud..

Which part of the game is this?

 

[fleetp]

Which part of the game is this?

This is from the 'special' release that NeonGhosts gave us. Here's a download link

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Play it after completing chapter 7

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.

 

[d22249]

Will there be a compressed version of this update?

 

[KiryuKazuma095]

The special part is a lot of fun playing but i doubt that Nikki's so called boyfriend is man enough to speak that way to a mobster who he owes money to and have send Nikki to do all those things he send her to do